Severance is the latest hit television show sweeping the nation. The dark comedy, sci-fi, thriller series from Apple TV has become a critical success through awards season, with fans of all ages raving about the mysterious show. What about Dan Erikson’s debut project that has everyone so obsessed?
Severance was picked up by executive producer and director Ben Stiller, who decided to take a chance on a relatively unknown showrunner, Dan Erikson. Originally from Olympia, Washington, Erikson only had one professional credit to his name – a singular writing credit for Spike TV’s Lip Synch Battle. His original pilot for Severance was picked up at the horror screenplay festival Blood List in 2016. Stiller hand-picked the project and got to work with Erikson, developing it for Apple TV’s streaming service.
Much like the hit 2000s comedy, The Office, Severance centers around the central theme of workplace mundanity. However, instead of finding comedic relief and an overall optimistic approach to the topic, for which the comedy received critical acclaim, Severance goes in the opposite direction. The show’s premise is that a man, played by Parks and Recreation’s Adam Scott, purposefully separates the memories he makes in his tedious office job from those he creates in his personal life.
The show takes inspiration from several dark comedy and sci-fi projects, including Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which also examined the idea of memory repression. Though Severance begins with a similar premise to The Office, it takes a darker turn, reflecting the late-stage capitalist energy of 2025 and showing that many Americans have a less-than-optimistic view of the work-life balance than they did 20 years ago.
Ultimately a critic of the ways many working-class Americans spend their lives effectively split in two, Severance has gained popularity from audiences who feel similarly bogged down by the pressures and demands of office life, especially in a post-pandemic world where most have had a taste of a healthier work-life balance during the era of mandatory work-from-home regulations.
Of course, the excellent writing and stellar performances from actors like Scott have enamored so many viewers. The show’s message remains closely linked to the experiences of the average American worker, partly because the show’s creator comes from such humble and relatable roots. Not connected to the industry through nepotism or wealth, Erikson attended a state school in Washington state. He took inspiration for his pilot from the experiences he and his family had struggling through the monotony of an uninspired nine-to-five.
Despite the show’s dark premise, the story behind Severance’s success provides hope for many that a career outside of uninspired and passionless office life can be possible. However, unlike workplace comedies of the past, the message of Severance is clear, and one of the reasons audiences find it so enthralling is that romanticizing life is sometimes not enough to find joy in it. Sometimes, dismantling the system and escaping the confines of boringness is the only way to begin living life truly.
